Spokane Man Shot To Death In Oregon Victim Likely Entered Brother-In-Law’s House Looking For His Estranged Wife, Children
John Humphrey’s obsession with finding his wife and children likely got him killed.
Authorities in Coos County, Ore., said the Spokane man’s brother-in-law shot him there early Monday.
The shooting likely resulted from Humphrey’s increasingly desperate search for his wife and four children, said Paul Burgett, Coos County prosecutor.
“In these marital matters, things get a little crazy. In this case, a lot crazy,” Burgett said Tuesday. “It seems this thing backfired on Mr. Humphrey.”
Police think Humphrey, 31, entered the home of Noah and Marie Salinas about 4 a.m. Monday seeking information about the whereabouts of his wife, Priscilla - Noah Salinas’ sister.
The Humphreys had been separated for some time, and Burgett said Priscilla Humphrey was in hiding with the couple’s daughter and three sons - who range in age from 4 to 12.
Court documents in Spokane show John Humphrey filed for a divorce in 1994 and wanted custody of his children. He requested a restraining order to keep his wife from taking the children out of Washington.
John Humphrey claimed in the documents that his wife had already fled the state once with their kids.
“She told me that she was in love with someone else and that she wanted a divorce,” Humphrey said in court documents. “I was worried I would not get to see my kids again…”
No one answered the telephone at the home of Noah and Marie Salinas on Tuesday.
Burgett said the Salinases told police Humphrey spent several weeks with them earlier this year recovering from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
When he healed, he returned to Spokane. Oregon authorities believe he flew back there about a week ago.
Police suspect it was Humphrey who hired someone to install the illegal wire tap the Salinases discovered on their telephone line Saturday.
They also think Humphrey was the man seen prowling around the couple’s Coos Bay home for the past several days.
“It kind of developed into a stalking situation,” Burgett said. “These people were frightened of him.”
The prosecutor said the couple was so frightened that: Noah Salinas bought a handgun and began taking firearms classes.
The couple barricaded their front door to keep out Humphrey, who had a key from his previous stay.
When Noah Salinas saw Humphrey apparently reaching for a gun when he confronted him in his living room before dawn Monday, he fired several shots into his brother-in-law.
John Humphrey died at the scene. Police found a 9mm handgun on his body, the prosecutor said.
Noah Salinas has not been charged and may not be.
“Obviously, we’re looking at it very closely,” Burgett said. “But at this time, I don’t foresee charging Mr. Salinas with anything.”
, DataTimes